On The Hunt: 7 Ways To Get Your First Job As A Developer

Getting a job as a developer can seem incredibly difficult, because there are so many hoops to jump through. You have to show that you truly are skilled enough to deserve the position and then you have to overcome the competition.

While it’s hard, there are several tips that you can use to improve the odds of landing your first job as a developer.  

Build an Online Portfolio

If you want a job as a developer, then you have to show your skills. There is no better way to do this than to build a website that looks good and mimics real projects that you will work on when you do get the job.

If you have already built websites for clients on a freelance basis, then upload those files to show people what you can do. You can also look up common projects in your field and make your own rendition of them.

Open Source Projects

There are many open source programs and websites that you can work on. It’s easy to get on these teams because the developers are rarely paid.

You will likely be working in a team environment when you’re hired as a developer, so potential employers would like to see that you have teamwork experience before hiring you.

Enter a Hackathon

A hackathon is a type of event where multiple developers come together, join teams and do their best to make a useful software by the end of the event.

You will be working with coders, graphic designers, project managers, interface designers and many others so that the program looks as functions as professionally as possible.

 While not always the case, there are reports that some people get a job offer right on the spot if they win or impress recruiters.

Recruiting Platform

Join a skills-based recruiting platform so that you can get the attention of businesses and recruiters. Many of these platforms allow you to join tournaments to show your skill along with letting you upload files of your websites or programs.

Keep Learning

Maybe you know everything there is to know about JavaScript and there isn’t a single new thing you can learn about that coding language. While you may not be able to advance any further with that coding language, you should keep up with your education by learning something new.

For example, if you learn a new coding language or gain experience as a graphic designer, then you might get the right mix of skills that a business is looking for.

Interview Skills

You definitely should prioritize your coding and programming skills when you want to become a developer, but there’s more to job hunting than that. You could be the best developer ever, but if your interviewing skills are awful, then you may never get a job.

 Make sure that you can properly convey your skills, that you are well groomed and that you can effectively speak to a potential employer. Mastering these skills will definitely help you get a job as a developer.

Keep Applying

Some people get so focused on learning new skills and using their current ones that they never apply to a job. Your chances of getting a job as a developer significantly decrease if you never apply for a job. You can wait for an employer or recruiter to find you, and that might happen, but you should also put yourself out there and apply.

Conclusion

Getting a job as a developer is difficult because there are many highly skilled people looking for the same position. While it may be difficult, it’s far from impossible. Just keep learning, join teams and hackathons and remember to apply and improve your interviewing skills.

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